


Living Corpses

by VoxTenebrarum



Category: Code Geass
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:40:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26272018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoxTenebrarum/pseuds/VoxTenebrarum
Summary: Lelouch is dead, as far as the whole world is concerned, but some people won't let him be. Suzalulu eventually but first they have to get over some heavy baggage getting in their way.
Relationships: Kururugi Suzaku/Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	Living Corpses

The fluorescent lights made Lelouch’s already pale skin seem nearly translucent, his veins popping out against the pallid arm made him look like a map made of blood. Ambient beeping noises and the smell of sterilized countertops continuously brought Suzaku back to all the times he had sat beside someone as they recovered from surgery, and especially it brought him back to Euphemia. 

The boy looked down at his “friend” - tubes and wires sticking out of him, oxygen mask covering his face, blindfolded to prevent him from trying anything should he wake up - and was suddenly struck by how similar Euphemia and Lelouch really looked. The delicate bone structure, the plaster white skin, and the soft look that people wear when they are pumped full of medical drugs. However, Suzaku noted, there was the main difference of one being an angel and the other a monster. 

Hours upon hours had passed at this point with nothing of significance happening. The only surgeon they had managed to find who would work on the tyrant Lelouch was some seedy man who had run off with the money the moment the job was done, leaving the recovery in the hands of C.C. (who knew next to nothing about medicine), Nunally (who was running the entire world and had other things on her plate), and Suzaku (who despite his deep hatred for Lelouch spent every available moment he had waiting for him to awaken). The surgeon had said that so long as Lelouch wasn’t moved and his instructions were followed, there was a 60% chance of Lelouch coming out of his medically induced coma, but the surgeon himself didn’t want to be seen attending to the tyrant if he could avoid it.

Suzaku couldn’t really blame the man, Lelouch had succeeded in making the entire world hate him so thoroughly that it was a surprise he had anyone on his side left. Not that Suzaku was on his side. No. He was only doing this for Nunally’s sake and to get the answers out of the thin boy in front of him that he had wanted since Euphy’s death. 

The night before Zero requiem, C.C. had entered his room, no warning no knocking, just burst in unceremoniously and told him that Lelouch was not who he seemed. She said that he was full of secrets that no one but herself knew, and that if Suzaku ever wanted to know the truth about Euphemia - the whole and honest truth - then he had to keep Lelouch alive. 

It was clearly just a ruse on the part of C.C. to keep her favourite toy alive but he was willing to go along with it if it meant finding out more about what had happened to his true love, to his best friend. 

So on the day of Zero requiem, Suzaku disobeyed orders (just a little bit) and pierced his sword a millimeter center of Lelouch’s heart. He wasn’t sure if his plan would work. He didn’t know if the wound would ultimately kill Lelouch regardless. He didn’t know if it wouldn’t kill him at all and the requiem wouldn’t succeed. He didn’t even know what his intentions were exactly. He just knew that C.C. said Lelouch was lying, and Suzaku would be damned if Lelouch was wriggling out of his own life without being straight with him, even if it was just once.  
So the moment the crowds sweeped on to the procession vehicle, presumably to desecrate Lelouch’s body and praise Suzaku for his “bravery,” Zero slid down after the emperor’s body and shielded Nunally and her brother from the masses. Within seconds the people that C.C. had arranged in advance began dispersing the crowds, giving Nunally a chance to breathe as best she could and C.C. the confusion she needed to carry Lelouch wrapped in canvas to the waiting makeshift hospital she and Suzaku had prepared in a nearby building. 

After Suzaku made his speech about equality, freedom, and peace; the Black Knights gently urged everyone back to their homes before sweeping in to collect their new leader. Zero, to everyone’s surprise, said that he would no longer be associated with the Black Knights, as his new mission was one of nonviolence. To this there was much protestation, but as Lelouch had predicted the leaders of the organization approved and dissolved their connection with Zero, and eventually with each other as well. 

Now, months had passed. Nunally was the ruler of the entire world and as such she was massively busy. But - as Lelouch had predicted - his little sister seemed almost destined for the role. She shone brilliantly in diplomacy, was intelligent enough to use her authoritative powers to their utmost, and simultaneously she retained her humanity despite the pressure. Truly, Nunally was the perfect person for the job, and Suzaku had to admit that maybe Lelouch and Schniezel had been right about this one. 

But despite the positive changes that Lelouch had achieved for everyone else on earth, he had only managed to hurt Suzaku more. 

The title of Zero hardly suited him, and he knew that. He didn’t have Lelouch’s way with words, nor his strategic mind. At the end of the day, all Suzaku really wanted was to be free to be an ordinary person, but just as Emperor Lelouch had said in his final breaths, this was the price that Suzaku had to pay. This was recompense for his crimes against Japan and the entire world, and especially against himself. So despite his discomfort with the role, he played it best he could. He walked into meeting rooms with that damned mask covering his face and the extravagant outfit that screamed Lelouch, not Suzaku. He made speeches that he was not cut out for, he made decisions that he felt unsure about, and he came back to his room in the palace every night and sat in his room - alone, tired, and empty. 

It was only in these moments sitting beside his best friend and his worst enemy that he felt even vaguely related to himself. So unsurprisingly he sought out these moments as best he could. Spending nearly all his free time sitting silently beside what might as well have been a corpse. 

Until today.

Suzaku tried to read his book, but never being much of a reader he found himself looking back at Lelouch time and time again. This time when he looked up he was struck by pity rather than anger, and going against C.C.’s instructions, he moved to remove Lelouch’s blindfold. There was nothing that the Geass could do to him anyway, he was already cursed after all. 

His calloused fingers gently brushed raven locks aside, skimming over the alabaster skin hesitantly. They hadn’t touched since Suzaku had killed him, so the moment that skin met skin, he was a little taken aback. With clammy hands, Suzaku undid the knot that secured the blindfold, letting it fall quietly on each side of his friend’s face. When that was done all he would do was stare. Lelouch’s eyes were closed and it gave him a more gentle appearance than anything that he’d seen him sport in the last few years. He wanted to cry.

For an hour, Suzaku just stared, almost without blinking, at the gentle face of that who was once his closest most beloved friend. Thoughts swirled inside his head, threatening to explode with their strength and violence: “Who is this person?” “Who am I?” “What do I want from him?” “How can I stand him?” “How can I abandon him?” 

More thoughts began to surge up when without warning a voice broke in.

“... S-Suzaku?”

Green eyes opened in surprise. That dark voice was the last thing he’d been expecting to hear and yet there it was, clear as a bell despite how quiet and hoarse it was. He whipped his head back to look Lelouch in the face and balked when he found wide open, Geass emblazoned eyes. 

He opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him. What should he say to this person? Should he get straight to the point and ask him his questions? If he did, then once he got the full truth he could kill him for real. But is that what he really wanted? Did he want to lose someone again if he didn’t have to? These questions and more flew into his head crowding it until there was no room for any other thought. He tried to make sense of things, to choose just one path, but before he could he was interrupted.

“How... How dare you?!” Lelouch was clearly trying to yell, but he wasn’t doing a very good job. His voice was unsteady and thin, almost impossible to understand.

But Suzaku understood what he said. And he understood what he meant too: “How dare you keep me alive.” 

Lelouch coughed and shuddered, some blood coming up and spilling between his chapped and translucent lips, “I... I told you... to kill me.... You promised..” He shivered uncontrollably, “I wanted... to die... I had to die.... How... could you?” Lelouch’s eyebrows knit together, his lips turned down into an acerbic scowl.

Suzaku blinked at him for a moment before frowning down at the invalid, “If I don’t get to die, then neither do you.” He shook his head, eyes closed, “Besides, I have some questions for you.”

With that, Lelouch closed his eyes and some of the hatred lifted from his face. He slumped deeper into the bed, letting the downiness consume him and nodded slightly, “I see...so that’s what you want me for... very well... get it over with then...” he glanced to the side, Geass shrouded eyes dark with sadness, “Just... do whatever you want...then for God’s sake .... just let me die... I can’t help this world anymore...”

At that Suzaku was a little stunned. He watched Lelouch for a second, observing the overgrown black hair and the clammy pale skin, the dead look in his eyes, the body filled with things to keep him from shutting down. Suddenly something welled up inside him, something that wasn’t hatred or anger, something that was old and new at the same time; something like pity. For the first time in years he wanted to comfort Lelouch, to help him recover, to save him. Why? Why now of all times? Lelouch was weak, in his grasp, he had said that he would give him anything to let him die. And yet something about it didn’t feel right. Maybe it was Nunally rubbing off on him, or maybe it was this new world of peace, but whatever it was he couldn’t find it in himself to take Lelouch up on his offer. 

“No.” Suzaku said firmly, staring hard into Lelouch’s eyes.

Lelouch’s eyes widened in disbelief, anger, sadness. Nearly every emotion under the sun travelled across Lelouch’s face one after another until finally he settled on unbridled rage. 

“You... You... How could you?! I am... Of no more use... to this world!!” Lelouch tried to yell, tried to raise his fist but in his state he couldn’t even move, couldn’t even lift his head off the pillow, “Suzaku... You made a deal... with me.. I need to be destroyed... or nothing will... get better.”

At that Suzaku couldn’t help but chuckle, “You really are the most arrogant person I’ve ever met.” 

“Wha... How does me... asking to die... make me arrogant?” 

“Because what right do you have to ask to die if you won’t let other others do the same thing?”

At that Lelouch was silent. His eyes shifted guiltily away from Suzaku’s unwilling to maintain direct eye contact with green irises. His mouth opened to respond a few times but nothing came out. All that he managed was to look like a drowning fish.

Suzaku smirked, proud of his little victory over the genius prince, “Exactly. So for once in your life just shut up and do what you’re told.” To emphasize his authority over the situation he folded his arms over his chest and gave Lelouch a good hard stare.  
Aware of his defeat, Lelouch heaved a great sigh. His eyes remained turned away from his companion, choosing instead to stare at the blank plaster wall across from his bed. After several minutes of stubborn silence Lelouch at last relented, “Fine, whatever you say, Zero.”

Suzaku bristled at the use of his fake title. Lelouch was just using it to rile him up, he knew that so he mustn’t give in. He knew that Lelouch was just on the defensive because the only thing he could use in this situation was his tongue, and so he was trying his luck at talking his way out of the situation. But no way was Suzaku letting that happen. He’d been run around by Lelouch for far too long now. No more. In this situation, Suzaku finally held all the cards and by God he was going to use them.

“Look at you, so obedient all the sudden.” Suzaku said carefully, making sure to lace his tone with just enough pity and laughter to upset the bedridden prince. Lelouch wasn’t getting away from him this time, no matter what that silver tongued devil tried to pull. If there was one thing that Suzaku had learned from all this bullshit, all this pain and conspiracy, it was how to use words to his advantage, “Your first order is to call me only by my name.” 

Lelouch regarded him with a dull look, “You’re so transparent... don’t like the title... I’ve given you, hm?” 

“I’m not trying to trick you, Lelouch, I’m through with all that. I’m just taking advantage of the fact that if you don’t listen to me I could screw up your whole plan. If you don’t listen to me I’ll abandon Zero and Nunally and everything. So you’d best think your actions through, before you upset me any further.” Suzaku explained himself coolly, letting the words drip slowly off his tongue.

At this, Lelouch looked away again, scowling like there was no tomorrow. “What use do I have.... for my old plans? I’m a dead man... I don’t care what happens... here anymore.” His eyes were hard as stone. Despite the fact that he was having trouble breathing and talking, his head was raised high, nobility to the very end. He narrowed his eyes at the plaster, trying to burn a hole into the opposite side of the room with just his anger. 

“Liar.” Suzaku couldn’t keep the slight fondness out of his voice, “I know you still care about your plans, I know you, Lelouch.”

Lelouch whirled his head around, fists forming at his sides clinging desperately to the clean linen sheets, “You don’t know-... anything about-... me!” His words were breathy and barely audible, but Suzaku heard the emotion thickly coating every syllable. For a moment Lelouch stopped, catching his breath and seething at once, “I’m changed... Just like you... You don’t know.. anything....” his words trailed off into nothing, into an ashamed look that he cast at the ground. His eyes were sharp and cold, but there was something hidden behind them that Suzaku couldn’t quite put his finger on.

They stayed in silence for a while, the little beeping noises of the medical equipment filling the room with ambient noise, that damned smell of sanitizer seeping into Suzaku’s brain again. He regarded Lelouch seriously, taking in everything that he could, trying to understand him without words. Violet eyes were narrow and stoney, glaring into the tile floor with absolute malice. His shoulders were shaking and his mouth was still bloody, as he had never bothered to wipe what he had coughed up. Skin pallid and sweaty, his hands had a white-knuckle grip on the bed sheets that would have threatened to tear the fabric if he had any strength at all. But most of all, it was the air of despair rolling off of the former prince that Suzaku took note of. No pretence of superiority, no crazed smile or knowing smirk, nothing but absolute broken sadness. 

“You really want to die that bad, huh?” Suzaku finally admitted, pity that he hadn’t intended upon creeping into his voice. 

Lelouch didn’t bother looking up at him again, he kept his desperate gaze fixed on the floor, “That’s all I can do now... There’s-” an abrupt coughing fit overtook him, more blood spilling from his dry lips, “This world... hates me... The best thing I can do... is... is die.” 

For a moment, Suzaku considered this. Lelouch had made the world a better place with his supposed death; it was true. But he had also made it worse for Nunally and for himself with his selfish presumptuous plan. As well there was his punishment to consider. Green eyes hardened, looking down at the husk of a man sitting in the bed across from him. 

Lelouch was a criminal of the highest degree. A tyrant. A killer. A manipulative liar. How was it that he was allowed to simply die and never atone for his sins? How was it that he was allowed to disappear, to not live with his mistakes and his decisions? Suzaku wasn’t allowed to die, despite the fact that he was a sinner himself. He had to live the rest of his life knowing what he’d done, thinking about all those lives that he’d taken away, all the destruction he’d caused. No way in hell was he letting Lelouch get off so easy. 

“The world already thinks you’re dead, you’ve done all you can in that regard. But that doesn’t absolve you of all the pain you’ve caused.” Suzaku finally declared, calmly and without hesitation, “You don’t deserve to die, if that is what you want. You’ve been getting what you want for far too long now. For once I think you deserve to sit with what you’ve done. You deserve to live with the consequences of your actions, to suffer regret and despair without being able to run from it. I won’t let you die. You don’t deserve that relief.” 

Lelouch looked up at him, tired and empty, a shell of a human being. For a long moment the two held each other’s gaze, communicating without words, battling with just their eyes, until all of the sudden Lelouch lost. Violet irises were suddenly clouded with tears which threatened to overflow, his lips began to quiver, and his hands finally released the bedsheets.

“You monster....” he whispered, “Can’t you just let me disappear?” 

Suzaku kept his eyes steady, he did not allow himself to be swayed by such a pathetic display. Besides, he argued internally, Lelouch was probably just putting on an act, this was probably just another show, “No. As long as I have to live, so do you.” His voice was steel, absolutely rigid.

At this, Lelouch was completely destroyed. His head fell to his chest, his hands flew to cover his eyes, and his shoulders curled in on each other. The former tyrant of the entire world was now a tiny ball of anger and sadness, all wrapped up in his own arms, shaking uncontrollably. Something like a ragged sob escaped between his fingers as teardrops collected in his hands before running down his arms. He tried to rock back and forth to comfort himself but his body was too mangled to manage it, all that he accomplished was to heave himself face first into the bedsheets. As soon as his face hit the fabric he started sobbing more violently, the sounds muffled beyond recognition, but the misery still tangible in its own undeniable way.

This was a sight that Suzaku had not prepared for. Anger? Yes. Defensiveness? Yes. But this? This absolutely unhinged despair? No. 

An old instinct lit up inside him. The desire to cross the room and touch this mess of a person, to bring them some semblance of stability in their time of crisis, flashed through his mind without warning. He pushed it down like bile, trying hard not to let the little shred of humanity he had left be wasted on this demon. The desire arose over and over again, testing him with its insistence. Why did he feel this way? About this monster of all people? Sympathy arose again. He pushed it down. At this point, he was used to getting rid of that pesky instinct.

“You’ll alert someone if you don’t quiet down.” He finally managed, spitting the phrase through gritted teeth.

Lelouch didn’t react to his hostile words, he just lay there like a madman, wailing softly to himself, wishing all the pain away. Realizing that if he left Lelouch to his own devices everything would fall apart, Suzaku crossed the room in two large strides. He seized Lelouch by his shoulders (injuries be damned) and pulled him up to face his fury, “Lelouch, shut up. That’s an order.” he hissed.

Violet eyes blearily opened to stare into deep green. Lelouch was absolutely destroyed. There was blood running from his mouth, smeared around his lips making them appear more red than ever, snot pooling under his nose, tears still streaming down his cheeks in little rivers of salt. All his skin was flushed a pink that Suzaku had only seen after intense meltdowns or rare exercise. His normally sharp eyes were watery puddles, staring desperately into Suzaku’s, pleading for something that Suzaku didn’t understand. 

Those messy lips parted as Lelouch took a breath, composing himself ever so slightly, just enough to whimper, “...Suzaku...” His poignant eyes, half-lidded, glazed over with despair, gazed into Suzaku’s own steely glare.

The knight was taken aback. This was a look he’d only seen Lelouch wear once, when they were children and Lelouch was mentally ruined by the combination of the war and his father’s betrayal. When they had been sitting under the stars by a pond during their journey to Tokyo, Lelouch had started sobbing, unable to take the tragedy of the world, unable to take the brutality and the hatred and the pain. 

Something broke inside him, somewhere in his closed off heart Suzaku felt a wall crumble.

He couldn’t let Lelouch know that he was being affected by this, but he couldn’t just leave Lelouch to blow their cover with his meltdown either. Euphemia, what should I do? he asked silently. 

Almost as if she was answering him, it came to him. Be kind. Show compassion. Be better than those that wrong you. Yes. That’s right just as Euphemia said, just Nunally preaches. It was difficult considering how angry he was, considering how much he hated Lelouch. But at the same time it was easy, considering how much he had loved him.

“What is it?” He murmured, relaxing his grip. Against his will, he found his eyes softening to match Lelouch’s. This wasn’t fair, he thought, I’m mad at him; I don’t want to sympathize with a murderer. 

A shaky breath rattled the prince’s chest, “I... I...” His breathing was ragged and his words came out as little gasps, “You... I’m... I’m so... sorry...” The words finally tumbled out, awkward and stilted, like he’d never used them before, “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... I’m .... so sorry...” He kept repeating himself over and over, despite the pain it obviously caused him to speak, despite his proud stubborn nature.

Suzaku went shock still. Had he heard that right? Did Lelouch just apologize unprompted, with nothing to gain from it? Or was he trying to get into Suzaku’s good books? Suddenly he was afraid and worried, was Lelouch trying to trick him?

His musings were cut short when Lelouch’s weak hand came to clutch at his chest. “...Suzaku... I... I was... I’m... I’m so sorry....” His words wavered like the tears in his eyes, “I’m... no good... you have to... get rid of me...”

Without thinking, Suzaku answered with absolute conviction, “No.” 

He bit back a gasp at his own answer. Why not get rid of this monster? He had killed Euphy, he had killed the Japanese, he had destroyed the whole world. But somewhere deep down Suzaku knew he was right to refuse. He couldn’t lose anyone else. He couldn’t lose one of the only people that understood him, that cared for him. Lying here, wounded, scared, pathetic; this was an old friend, someone important to him. No matter what he’d done, there was still the Lelouch that he loved hiding in there somewhere and Suzaku was determined to selfishly keep the corpse alive until he could find his friend again. 

“Like I said. You’re going to live, whether you like it or not.” Suzaku’s words were as even and neutral as he could make them, but underneath there was a current of emotion that he didn’t want to explore.

Lelouch’s watery eyes pleaded with him silently for just a moment longer, before lowering to stare at his chest. “...Okay... I’ll do whatever... you say...” he mumbled, tired, defeated, empty.

For a second, Suzaku didn’t know what to do. Had he? Had he really just beaten Lelouch? The Lelouch? It didn’t feel real.

But after Lelouch stayed silent and still for a few minutes, eyes fixated on some point on Suzaku’s chest, he realized that this was true. Lelouch had nowhere to turn, no one left to defend him. Suzaku was his only connection to the world so if he was submitting to him like this, then Suzaku really had won. That meant that. That. Suzaku could finally control Lelouch, not the other way around. Finally. He could get some answers out of this slippery snake. Finally.

But before these thrilling thoughts began to engross him, his attention was returned to the fallen emperor in front of him. Lelouch’s eyes had begun to cloud over, empty meaninglessness taking over his thoughts and features. Without a second thought, he grabbed Lelouch by the chin and forced him to look him in the eye.

“Before you spiral, answer me one thing, Lelouch.”

The violet eyes that looked back at him were tired and sad, but mostly just dull.

“Why did you really kill all those Japanese? Why did you really order Euphy to do such a horrible thing? You said you loved her. You said you would defend the weak. Were you really so selfish as to sacrifice those you cared for just to motivate more war?” 

Lelouch tried to look away, but Suzaku forced him to face his gaze.

“Tell me the truth for once, you liar. Tell me.”

Bloody lips opened, then closed. Empty hopeless eyes stared blankly into Suzaku’s own, until finally Lelouch’s hoarse voice broke their silence, “It was... It was an...” He tried to look away again, ashamed, “... an accident...”

This answer displeased Suzaku. And in his anger he gripped Lelouch a little harder, the hand on his shoulder pushing him into the bed. But before he could give in to his anger, Suzaku reminded himself of his fundamentals, of Nunally’s ideals and Euphy’s sacrifice. He wouldn’t give in, no matter what.

“You... You ruined everything. By accident! That’s your excuse?? That’s all you have to say to me after what you’ve done?!” Suzaku spat the words at him, venom coursing through his every vein. His grip tightened even more until Lelouch winced from the pain. But he didn’t relent, didn’t soften his harsh grasp. 

Lelouch closed his eyes, as if waiting for Suzaku to strike him, waiting for the punishment that he expected to receive for his failings. But there was nothing. Just Suzaku’s strong hands holding him down and heavy angry breathing from the man atop him. 

He tried to explain himself, to tell the truth, no matter how unnatural it felt, “I’m sorry... I... I couldn’t... control my... Geass.” he swallowed thickly, trying desperately to keep his calm despite the situation, “it happened all of the sudden... I didn’t think that... I thought I could.. control it.” 

Suzaku glared down at him, “You should have known better. You should have understood the limits of your power. Because of you... Because of your stupid mistake. I lost the most important person I’d ever met.” He growled out the last bit, teeth bared like a wild animal, “You ruined my life. By being completely careless. You fucking idiot.” 

Their eyes were locked by the end of Suzaku’s statement, leaving Lelouch to stare desperately into flaming green irises.

Finally, he said all he could say. All that he had left, “Suzaku... I’m so ... so sorry.” 

At that moment, with Lelouch pinned helplessly under him, risen from the dead as he was and desperate to return to his grave, Suzaku realized that the prince was finally telling him the truth. That this unsatisfactory, painful, stupid statement was the honest truth. What reason did Lelouch have to lie to him now? There was nothing he could possibly gain from that. And on top of it, he was apologizing, without being forced to or anything. This was truly a bare side of his friend that he had not seen in years. 

So Suzaku, despite the rage that burned uncontrollably inside him, resolved to accept this answer. Because if it was the truth, then that’s all that he needed. Maybe Lelouch was allowed to lie to everyone else, maybe he could lie to the whole world. But Suzaku wouldn’t allow him to lie to his oldest friend and his only ally. Not anymore. 

“So that’s the truth is it?” Suzaku finally grumbled. 

Lelouch held his tongue for a moment, still prepared for attack, but when that moment passed and nothing happened, he nodded hesitantly, “Yes... I wish... it wasn’t.” 

Rage coiled up in Suzaku’s stomach, uncomfortably shifting and growling. Euphy’s death had been unnecessary, had been an accident. Was this better or worse than Lelouch being a cold-blooded killer? Now all he could do was blame Lelouch for his carelessness, but he couldn’t target him as the very devil itself. Now everything was a damned shade of grey, imprecise and confusing. There was nothing tangible to hang on to anymore, the tragedy of Euphemia was no longer the wrongdoings of an evil genius but the mistake of a careless teenager; nothing more than an accident - a horrible accident. Without this tragic loss to guide him, Suzaku wasn’t sure what to do.

They remained there, locked in their same position with Suzaku holding Lelouch down, pushed hard into the mattress. Their eyes held each other silently, giving Suzaku time to process what he had just heard. Green eyes shimmered with unfallen tears, narrowed and enraged; until finally strong arms relented, leaving Lelouch to rub his bruised shoulders. 

“Fine.” Suzaku’s harsh voice eventually burst through their silence, a surprise to Lelouch like no other, “If that’s how it is... If that’s... Well, then I guess I can’t do anything to you. No matter how despicable you are.” He let loose a heavy sigh, “You’re not allowed to die yet, Lelouch. And I guess I won’t kick the shit of you. But I can’t stand to look at your face anymore.”

With that, Suzaku rose to his feet. He gave Lelouch one last look, filled with rage and sadness, before striding quickly out of the room. All that he could do now was come to terms with this new information and keep doing what he could for the world, so he took a deep breath and set off.


End file.
